Sleep Induced
by Equinexia
Summary: Kotetsu and Barnaby sleep in the same bed. And really, that's all they do. Everything's fine until one mishap causes them to crash and burn. Can be considered Pre-Slash in some way. Angst.
1. Chapter 1

It started a few months prior. Work had made them go home later and wake up earlier each day. On one such night, both of them completely exhausted - having run all over the city after a wayward NEXT with super high-speed as power - they had crashed to Barnaby's place. He had been way too tired to drive his partner home. Kotetsu could have gone home on foot for all he cared but no, he had followed him into his flat.  
>Not speaking a word, muscles already starting to ache, they threw themselves on the bed, instantly falling asleep.<p>

The next morning, they woke up next to each other, face pressed into the mattress. Barnaby sluggishly lifted himself and sat on his heels, sleep still fogging his mind. His glasses were askew, ready to fall off at any moment. Kotetsu didn't so much as turn his head towards his bedmate, looking up at him in muddled wonder. Barnaby weakly glared at him, annoyed to see him first thing in the morning. At least, he hadn't said anything yet, which he was perfectly fine with.  
>The older man kept staring, then turned his upper body on its side and rested his cheek on his left hand, as if getting comfortable to continue his examination. Awareness finally settling in, he extended a hand towards Barnaby's face, plucking the dangling glasses off his nose. The blond didn't do much apart from scowling, still gazing down at his partner.<p>

A shrill sound coming from their wrists distracted them from each other. They had a mission. Eyes met, both men nodded their mutual thought of 'Let's go'. Glasses quickly returned to their rightful place as the bed was suddenly empty, the frontdoor closing shut.

-T&B-

The second time it happened, they slept at Kotetsu's. The bank-robbery they stopped had been near his house. Fatigue had motivated them enough to drive as less as possible, which got them in Kotetsu's living room, eating dinner with a rediffusion of their arrest on TV. Dinner finished, they took turns for the shower, Barnaby going first. The older male lent him clothes and gave him a towel, absently watching the television. When Barnaby stepped out of the bathroom, he asked where he was going to sleep. Kotetsu, not really paying attention, vaguely motioned for his own bedroom as he undressed for his shower.

Entering his bedroom, he found Barnaby fast asleep. Not wanting him to wake up, he tip-toed his way to the unoccupied side of the bed before sliding underneath the cover, instantly falling asleep lulled by the blond's quiet breathing.

During the night, they had somehow gravitated towards each other. Kotetsu was on his back with an armful of Barnaby who had his head pressed to his chest, the top of it tucked under the older man's chin. Their legs fared no better : Barnaby was nearly entirely in Kotetsu's lap, his thigh pressing between the other man's, unconsciously rubbing calves with his partner.  
>Kotetsu woke up to a ticklish feeling on his neck and shoulder. Half-asleep, he swatted at whatever it was that teased his skin to highly irritating degrees. His relief didn't even last a second as the <em>thing<em> instantly came back, just like a spring. Scrunching his nose and frowning, he repeated the operation a few more times before giving up.  
>Sleep was ready to claim him once more when something shifted on his chest, moving the <em>thing<em> to tickle the side of his face. Aggravated, he suddenly noticed that the shift had extended itself to his entire left side - which was warm for some reason other than the cover - and even placed what felt like a hand on his right pectoral.

_Hand?_

Kotetsu groggily opened his eyes. Wincing at the sudden light, he caught sight of the _thing_ tickling him, or more exactly, _Barnaby's hair_. The kid had curled up, head digging deeper into his tan chest. Remembering last night, he lightly tapped the blond man's shoulder. If he didn't get up _now_, Kotetsu might do something drastic. Like cut his hair - or chewing them off since he didn't have any sharp object near him. When all he did was stir a bit, the older man did it three more times before his partner picked himself up, yawned and rubbed sleep out of his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.  
>They were in the process of getting out of bed when twin high-pitched sounds resonated in the room.<p>

Quickly dressing, they went back to their hero lives.


	2. Chapter 2

The crime rate had dramatically increased. Crashing at each other's house had thus become a habit, just as well as _sleeping in the same bed._ It was convenient. No futon to lay out, no taking turns as to who would take the couch, no desperate search for a second cover or pillow. Also, Tiger loathed waiting for Barnaby to show up with the motorbike just as much as Bunny hated having to get up earlier than necessary to pick up his partner. All they saw in the recent turn of events was more time to sleep, which they desperately needed. More so, spending time together revealed itself to be a comfortable affair, whereas both had expected it to be a bother, what with all the fighting they did.

Mornings like their second one became a daily occurrence. Barnaby cuddling one of Kotetsu's corded arms to his chest; Kotetsu spooning Barnaby, a hand resting on his sculpted stomach while the other pillowed his head; Barnaby squished to the mattress by all of the old man's weight; both of them facing each other in their sleep, arms loosely wrapped around the other's waist: each situation had happened at least once since they had started their shared nights.

In the past weeks, a strange atmosphere of domesticity had descended upon their early mornings and late nights. Waking up basically consisted of greetings such as "Get off, you're heavy" while grudgingly shoving the other off and awake. Clothes had slowly migrated to their partner's dressing, a second toothbrush had appeared in their bathrooms just as shower gels and shampoos did as well: after all, spending a few consecutive out of their respective place wasn't rare. Kotetsu quickly learned Barnaby's tastes, seeing as he had naturally taken up the task of cooking. Barnaby quickly learned that the old man liked stupid TV shows. Kotetsu now knew when the younger man was in a bad mood or not: if he was, he'd go to bed without saying a word. Barnaby now knew that his partner liked staying up late when he could: he'd loudly announce "I'm going to bed!" if he had no other choice.

Strangely enough, both had the feeling they slept better with someone occupying the empty space beside them. Barnaby had stopped having nightmares, soothed at night by a steady heartbeat and soft puffs of air against his skin. Kotetsu had had horrible sleeping habits - waking up at ungodly hours of the night and moving a lot, enough to throw covers and pillow off the mattress - which disappeared with the calming heat of another's body near him.

_It felt good to know he wasn't alone._


	3. Chapter 3

Time approached early morning when their bracelet screamed their usual high-pitched sound. Blary eyed, Kotetsu noticed he had his arms wrapped around Barnaby, his nose buried in the crook of his neck whereas his current pillow was on his back, cheek pressed on the top of his head. It explained why all he saw was blond hair and why his nose itched. _Again_.  
>He huffed. He really should cut it, or at least tie it up when he went to sleep. Heck, he'd even buy the rubber bands if necessary. Unless he took Kaede's collection. Imagining Bunny with a yellow ribbon in his hair made him guffaw, waking said long-haired man up. Feeling the weight atop his head being lifted, he glimpsed at the bedside clock.<p>

"Four o'clock in the morning? What the hell," Barnaby voiced his thoughts.  
>"Fuck if I know but we better get outta here. Duty's calling," Kotetsu easily replied, not moving an inch.<br>"You'd better get off, then. Otherwise I'll just shove you aside."  
>"Awww, Bunny-chan doesn't like cuddling?"<br>Not raising to the bait, he impassively declared, "No." and elbowed the dead weight off him, just as promised.  
>He picked up one of the two pair of glasses he now always left on Kotetsu's desk, meaning he had three of them at home, leaving the other man to sulk. After ten minutes of grumbling in bed, he swore.<br>He was late.

In an uncharacteristic request from Apollon Media, Kotetsu and Barnaby had to meet up at the gym at five o'clock sharp to undergo training with their powers. To HeroTV logic, criminals never attacked before past six. It was preferable if they took action in the afternoon, though: the audience was always the best after lunch.

Saito welcomed them, not asking why they had arrived together, a whispered greeting barely-audible on his lips. Not wasting time, the engineer quickly explained the reason behind their required presence: having mucles was fine and all but if they didn't know how to fight, it was pretty much useless. To ensure they knew how, Apollon wanted a recorded video of them fighting each other, powers activated. It would then be analysed, picking out the weaknesses they'd have to work on.

Already in loose-fitting clothes, warm-ups done, both adopted fighting stances as their eyes shone blue. Five minutes and counting, flesh met flesh in quick successions. Barnaby kept throwing kicks while Kotetsu blocked with his forearms. Going for a roundhouse kick, Barnaby crouched, belatedly noticing the older male's punch coming towards his cheek. Sweeping his leg under the other, he hoped it would be enough to stop the hit from colliding. Eyes wide in surprise, Kotetsu fell but caught himself on his hands and knees, suddenly rolling to his left when he saw the sole of a foot crashing near his nose. Sitting up, he angrily launched himself at the blond's legs. Losing balance, Barnaby plummeted to the ground, head cracking on the hard floor. He glared at the old man's triumphant and grinning face, raising and parting his knees to shake him off. Kotetsu quickly let go but not before catching his ankles. He gleefully twisted, making Bunny's entire body turn on its stomach with the momentum. Not loosening his grip, he bent both legs as he moved up the struggling body. He released one ankle to pin him by placing a placating hand between his shoulder blades.  
>Two minutes and both were already panting.<br>The freed leg wrapped around Kotetsu's middle, the other catching him a bit higher as Barnaby used his hands and forearms as leverage to twist his lower body enough to throw his oppenent off. Slamming on his side, Kotetsu lost his grip on the limb. Barnaby, entirely free now, pounced on the groaning mass, pinning him with his forearm pressing down on his wind-pipe.  
>Thirty seconds left and Barnaby had won.<br>Kotetsu painfully smiled, more or less consisting of bared teeth and barely upturned lips, until Barnaby knew that he had , in fact, lost.  
>The three last seconds ticked by and Kotetsu had Barnaby writhing with laughter on top of him as he ran calloused hands up and down his clenching stomach and sensitive flanks.<p>

The older man smiled knowingly. He had discovered Bunny was ticklish when he had brushed a hand across his side in his sleep, having earned himself a groggy giggle. Merciless, he ignored Barnaby's pleas of 'stop' and tortured him until the man sitting atop him collapsed on his chest, still squirming at the tickling fingers.

"See how it feels? Imagine that when you wake up."

Barnaby's only response was another squeak strangled with laughter.


	4. Chapter 4

When the clock rang eight o'clock, the other heroes came in one after the other. Sky High arrived first, brightening up instantly as he saw the other two males. As he sauntered toward them, happily greeting them with a "Good Morning! And again, Good Morning!", Blue Rose entered the gym, nodded and went to change. Dragon Kid did the same, Origami Cyclone in tow. He had his sportswear on already and was timidly coming up to them, a shy nod in hello. Keith lost no time in dropping an arm around his shoulders, bringing him close to his side. Unmindful of Ivan's embarrassment, he continued his loud chat with Kotetsu (and Barnaby, when he decided the old man had said something stupid enough to deserve a reply). Rock Bison passed them hurriedly, looking harrassed as, unsurprisingly, Fire Emblem followed, eagerly flirting with the flustered latino. Noticing the four still in the room, he blew a kiss and a wink in their general direction before trailing after Antonio in the changing room. Nothing unusual, then.

Keith started chatting up Ivan, in hopes of making him join the conversation. He kept talking, encouraged by the shy man nodding, meeting his eyes from time to time and even replying once or twice.  
>However, when Keith glanced back at Apollon Media's heroes, he stopped mid-sentence, struck by what he saw.<p>

Barnaby was leaning on the metal railing while Kotetsu had his right hand wrapped around the top bar, near his resting elbow. Kotetsu's upper body was turned towards Bunny, his right leg crossing the other, only the tip of his foot touching the floor. He used his free arm to gesticulate, Barnaby calmly reclining over the railing when it got a _bit_ too close to hitting him in the face. But what had Sky High's _and_ Origami Cyclone's jaws dropping was Kotetsu's expression morphing from angry to mischievous as he closed most – if not all – of the distance between them. He lifted his hand, slowly tugged a blond curl, the strand caught in between his middle and forefinger and watched it spring back. Barnaby lifted an eyebrow, unimpressed by the show. A wicked grin twisting Kotetsu's lips, eyes shining in amusement, he fetched another lock – on the right side this time – and twirled it around his finger. Teasingly, he told something to his partner that made him jerk his head in the opposite direction, wrenching his hair back. Shock couldn't begin to describe the level of astonishment the two observing males felt at what came next. Barnaby scowled, and _blushed_. He tried to hide rosy cheeks behind blond tresses, ducking his head a bit, before whirling it about and gave a biting retort that only managed to escalate Kotetsu's light snickering to full-blown laughter.

Still speechless at the decidedly _strange_ display of – affection? – camaraderie, they started when Karina stopped next to the unspoken leader, an eyebrow raised in wonder.

"If I didn't know you two, I'd think you've been sleeping together with how comfortable you are around each other," she declared, entertainment clearly evident in her tone.  
>Calming down a bit, Kotetsu distanced himself from a still-scowling Bunny but kept his hand on the railing. Raising his other one, he lightly scratched the back of his neck.<br>"Haha, well, in fact, we have been for the last five months."  
>Suddenly aware of the silence following his answer, the older male looked up to see the shocked – and for some, disturbed – faces of his fellow heroes, all of them now in hearing distance. He looked quizzically at all of them, not understanding what was going on.<br>Karina, in total shock, only managed to mutter in repeat and not necessarily in that order 'Barnaby… sleeping…f-five months…_t-together_'. Ivan and Keith hadn't moved from their shell-shocked stillness, making very good statue impressions. Dragon Kid had scrunched her nose before announcing, clearly weirded out by the situation,  
>"That's <em>freaky<em>."  
>Nathan wore a satisfied expression and a knowing look in his eyes as he proudly interjected, "There's a thin line between hate and love!"<br>Antonio had slapped his hand on his forehead, mumbling something along the lines of "I knew he'd snap one day…"

_'Freaky'…? __**'Love'**__…?  
>What the hell were they talking about?<em>

"Huh?" Kotetsu, complety lost, replied, blinking in uncomprehension. He looked back at Barnaby who looked just as puzzled as he was. They locked eyes and suddenly, it clicked.

"Oh. No no no no! It's not what you're thinking, really, it's just by convenience-" Kotetsu jumped up, flailing in his attempt to explain the situation. Karina, finally aware again went back to nervous twitching, stuttering 'c-convenience…?'.  
>"You're making it worse," Barnaby smoothly added, stating the obvious.<br>"Shut up, Bunny," Kotetsu snapped at his partner, "We're not sleeping together _like that_, just in _the same bed_. Guys, belive me-" He pleaded, a bit desperate at this point.  
>"Uh, you know, Kotetsu, it's not my business but as a good friend I hope you, um, <em>know<em> what you're getting into," Antonio winced at his clumsy choice of words. Said friend slumped his shoulders in disbelief, eyes and mouth popping open as he crooked an eyebrow and reiterated his clever reply.  
>"Huh?"<p>

Discomfort quickly permeated the air as no one dared to say a word. A few minutes passed. Nathan, deciding he had enough fun for the day, left, wishing the newly announced couple good luck. Not long after that, every hero quit the gym, one at a time. Antonio patted Kotetsu on the shoulder in sympathy whereas Pao-Lin stuck her tongue out at him, tugging a still mumbling Karina along. Sky High, composing himself, encouragingly smiled, obnoxiously cheering them on with a nervous "Congratulations! And again, Congratulations!" and made his way out, leading Ivan.

The two men now alone in the gym, Kotetsu slowly turned his head to face his partner and muttered, his expression unchanging,  
>"What do we do now?"<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the day went by with no further interactions between the two. Whenever they were in the same room, the atmosphere got thick with tension, choking whoever happened to be there as well. At their desks, they ignored each other, not even sparing a glance to their partner. At lunch, Kotetsu had hightailed it out of the building to "eat with his daughter" as a clever excuse. In the afternoon, Barnaby had had a photoshoot for a new Apollon Media-sponsored product concerning _bedsheets_. Neither had been good-humoured enough to snigger at the irony.  
>No words had been exchanged all day. Even this morning, after the harsh realization that what they had been doing for the last past months was <em>weird<em> and _wrong_, Barnaby hadn't replied to the bewildered Kotetsu. He had passed him without a word or a touch, gaze focused on the exit.

As evening rolled around, Barnaby contemplated the situation as he drove his partner home. Getting out of the side-car, Kotetsu looked disappointed when he sped away, fleeing the awkward situation.

_Let that old man worry alone_, he thought. He kept his eyes on the road, forcing himself to not look back and meet the crestfallen expression he was sure to find on the other's face.

Killing the engine, the blond entered his appartment, heart unusually heavy. It throbbed painfully when he realized his flat would be empty tonight, as well as tomorrow morning, evening even. Deciding to stop dwelling on stupid thoughts, he sluggishly undressed. Chest a bit too tight, Barnaby took a long shower, spending entire minutes just standing under the showerhead, hot water pelting his tense muscles. No appetite whatsoever, he skipped dinner and went to bed.

Sleep never came. The sheets were cold and the bed felt way too big with only him in it. Countless times, he had rolled on his side, his back, his other side, his stomach, and started all over again. To fight the cold, he had turned on the heater. It only resulted in heavy sweating and him feeling even colder. Curling up, he huddled the cover already tightly wrapped around him closer to his face as he remembered one of his chilly nights at Kotetsu's.

_His heater had been under the threat of being cut off for a week now. He hadn't paid the bills for __**months**__ and of course, they'd decided to cut it __**tonight**__, which was when Barnaby slept over. Figures.  
>He had light shudders running up and down his spine, the discomfort keeping him awake. His back facing Kotetsu, he felt amidst his dozing warm arms collecting him against a hard and even warmer chest. The shivering had instantly stopped, leaving place to soothing heat. The scratch of his beard along his shoulder as he buried his nose in the crook of his neck only served to make him relax more, greatly enjoying the warmth coming from tan skin and deep breaths ghosting over his collarbone.<em>

His shirt had quickly gotten soaked, forcing the blond to throw the cover off and turn down the heat. He changed his top, going back to bed with a few more pillows and covers in hopes of filling the empty space. He had long since accepted that he couldn't do anything against the cold. However, he was sure the room left in his bed could be physically occupied by something else than his partner's body. His expectations rapidly dissipated though when he realized that fluffy pillows and soft covers couldn't replace Kotetsu's steady heartbeat thumping against his back on cold nights.

On the other side of Sternbirld, approximatively ten minutes after he had been dropped off, Kotetsu was still staring down the road. He had watched Barnaby barreling down the street until he had turned the corner and couldn't see him anymore, only hearing the fading sound of the motorbike as more and more distance was put between them. Not paying any attention to the gusts of wind biting at his skin, his mind wandered.

How did they miss the possible implication of their situation?  
>How did they even get into this, this, <em>this routine<em>, for lack of better word?  
>Taking into consideration what others might say had never crossed his mind.<p>

_Why would it?_, Kotetsu thought, a bit irked. He had always ignored the public's judgement of him "as a reckless, good-for-nothing hero who relied on non-existant, old-fashioned veteran experience", the children's proclamation of "You're a lame-o, uncle!", and even his daughter's heart-breaking "You're not good enough, Dad" when she was upset with him. Everyone crossed him as a failure, a clumsy old man who should retire. And he didn't care what they thought of him, and probably never would.

However, Bunny lived for the public eye. So, _of course_ he'd mind if wrong assumptions of him getting involved with a _man_ – his partner at that – ever made their way to the civilians' daily gossip. He'd probably lose a good part of his fanbase, his popularity would rise for all the wrong reasons and and –  
>He wouldn't be considered a hero anymore. <em>They<em> wouldn't be considered heroes anymore. How could the population trust a couple to protect them? If one of the two got hurt, which would come first? Saving their partner or the city? Their duty as heroes should reassure Sternbild's citizens that they undoubtedly have priority but…

He derailed that train of thought. They weren't in a relationship. They just slept in the same bed, shared home-made meals and mornings wrapped in each other by some strange happening of events. It all came naturally and not _once_ did he take a step back to question the recent development in their partnership.

Kotetsu caught the edge of his hat, lowering it over his eyes as he finally turned around to open the door. He was a bit tempted to call Antonio to go out and drown his sorrow in alcohol but the hangover he would assuredly have tomorrow wasn't worth it. Stepping in, he removed his shoes, throwing his hat on the couch as he passed by and turned on the TV. He was used to silence – since he had lived alone for five years now – but today, he needed noise to fill the heavy quiet pervading the place.

Normally, as soon as Barnaby would set foot on the parquet's living room, he'd complain about the mess littering the floor and furniture. Kotetsu would simply rub the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed by his sloppy living style. He'd then go to the kitchen to start dinner as Bunny cleaned up the house, unable to bear the sight of such evident sloth. Tonight however, no one complained, no rustling of clothes as a jacket flopped down on the back of a chair, no silent shuffling against the floorboards, no steps passing behind him for the bin, no water flowing from the tap to wash _his_ white and delicate hands, no leather couch creaking with _him_ sitting on it, _no Bunny_.

It made him feel like a void had opened up in his chest, welling up in his ribcage. A sigh escaped his lips, head tilting to the ceiling, eyebrows pinched in confusion while sadness etched across his face. His gaze dropped to fix itself on the window, his expression reflected on the lucid surface. It was one he was too familiar with. One he had worn when his wife had died, one he wore when Kaede didn't want to see him, one he wore whenever Wild Tiger was belittled as useless. And the one he wore now, staring at his ghostly-like self in the glass, dearly missing his prick of a partner's presence, was the exact same.

Kotetsu was used to rejection but he had forgotten what loneliness felt like.


	6. Chapter 6

Barnaby woke up with a start, conflicted feelings of sorrow, fear, longing, anger whirling together as the last of his nightmare dissolved into hazy memories, ones he knew too well to forget. Sweat clung to his clammy skin, gasping from the tears forcing themselves out of his eyes. Inhaling deep, steady breaths, he sat up, unconsciously glancing at the empty space beside him. A sudden pang in his chest left him frowning. He wasn't sure whether it was because of the aftermath of his dream or...

Dismissing the issue, he looked up at his digital clock. One o'clock. He had slept two hours but didn't feel any fatigue, just the distinctive need to get out of his bedroom _now_. Which he did, ignoring the book he had sometimes read, Kotetsu's head on his lap-

_He hated when Kotetsu was bored out of his mind. The old man would ask "What are you reading, Bunny?", peer over his shoulder to read a few lines when he didn't answer, huff in his neck to then slump down on the bed again, closing his eyes, roll around and finally rest his head on his lap. Looking up at him, grin firmly in place, Barnaby would glare down at him to convey the annoyance he felt. Not saying a word, he'd go back to his reading, Kotetsu quickly falling asleep after he started running his hand through still slightly damp, shaggy brown hair._

-or the white tank top hung on the back of the chair in the corner-

_During Kotetsu's first nights at his place, Barnaby had lent him a shirt and loose pants to sleep in. The habit settling in, those rapidly became __**his**__ appointed pyjamas, never once bringing some. The blond got used to putting them in his partner's pile when they did the laundry. They never discussed the issue. That white shirt and those grey bottoms had been Kotetsu's since he had first put them on._

Unbeknowst to him, Barnaby was out of his room, reminiscing decidedly _useless_ things.  
>But he couldn't help it. Never would he have thought that sharing a bed would make him feel something akin to <em>loss<em>. He had been alone most of his life. The presence of another had long since been forgotten. Until Kotetsu came that is, and reminded him of a distant time where his happiness relied on others. The kid he once was yearned for warmth and security that dark and vacant rooms could never give, only protecting him from getting hurt.  
>And he admitted it, he was hurt. His revenge-driven life had deprived him of any human attachments, afraid his heart would be trampled on. The one time it had happened left him completely broken, and weak because he was too young. All the precautions he had taken didn't matter anymore: his heart was smashed to pieces.<p>

_And he didn't know why._

His eyes widened, overlooking the city from his living room window. The realization of _why_ it hurt hit him like a trainwreck. He could see all the pieces falling in place, unable to look away, unable to _lock away those bubbling feelings like he had always done-_

Kotetsu was the first in a very, _very_ long time he had let in. He started to appreciate the old man, taking in strides the clumsy but full of good will way he acted towards others as well as _himself_. His partner wanted to help everyone and Barnaby was no exception. A bond had created itself between the two, their already good teamwork improving immensely (even earning Wild Tiger a few points which Apollon Media still had problems admitting). However, that bond, that slowly thickening thread linking the two, was pulled taught at the moment.

What scared him the most was the possibility of it breaking.

The sudden understanding of their situation - the fact he actually _liked_ his partner and wasn't just _tolerating_ him like he thought he was - delayed his notice of the knocking on his door. Head shooting up, whipping around to look at the source of the noise, he frowned. Who would it be at – glancing at the clock - half past one in the _fucking morning_?

Moving to open the door, he never thought of checking through the peephole who it could be. Knob in hand, door wide-open and Kotetsu on his doorstep, he wished he had.

The older male looked up, weakly smiling at the shocked blond. A feeble chuckle escaped his lips, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he muttered a quick, "Surprised?"

Barnaby collected himself, schooling his face to a blank expression that unknowingly put a knife through Kotetsu's heart, the sharp pain only noticeable by the tensing of his shoulders.

"What are you doing here?"

Kotetsu clenched his fists, eyebrows drawing close, the caustic reply not soothing his pained chest in the slightest.

"I can't sleep."

"And that's why you're here and waking me up? Making sure I get just as much sleep as you do? How thoughtful." It was unnecessary to let him know he hadn't been sleeping and that for the little he had had, it had been awful. Even though, Bunny was surprised by the knowledge he hadn't been the only one.

Kotetsu felt a tired smirk pulling at his lips. "Is Bunny that eager to-"

"I don't want to hear it." Barnaby intended to close the door-

"Stop! Bunny, we need to talk-"

He stopped his movement, eyes on the floor as he slowly replied, "No, we don't. Now get back home. I don't care anymore."

He turned around as he slammed the door shut, feeling it resist in the last few inches.

"But I do!", Kotetsu hollered, suddenly angry. Barnaby noticed the blue aura surrounding him and the steel blue glowing in his eyes, intensifying his furious gaze in the dark. Paralyzed at first, his face morphed into blind fury as he wrenched the door open and shouted, "**What do you want?**"

Kotetsu, not prepared for the door to suddenly give in, stumbled a few steps before standing inches away from Barnaby's nose. He could feel hot air on his face gushing out of the blond's mouth in harsh pants, visibly keeping himself from lashing out. Eyes still glowing, they moved from gritted teeth to a tumultuous stare storming with badly concealed anguish. He lowered his gaze, asking to himself "What do I want...?"

He stayed silent for some time before looking up again, expression softening as words spilled past his tight throat.

"I want you to sleep..."

A small smile formed on his lips, concern etching on his features, the corner of his eyes tightening.

"...without having nightmares."


	7. Chapter 7

His breath caught in his throat.  
>What was <em>he saying<em>? _Why_ did he want that? How-?

_How had he known he couldn't sleep without him?_

It didn't matter. What mattered though was to get Kotetsu out of his home - his life, his head, his _heart_ - before he could get in even further and stay there _forever_.

But he couldn't do it. He tried and failed to summon the rage that made him shout moments ago, the one that vanished once Kotetsu had opened his mouth, breaking through his impassive front, revealing whirling feelings that flickered in the green of his irises, the crease of his brows, the tightness of his mouth.

Suddenly conscious of his exposed façade, he ducked his head, hiding his distorted features from _him_. _Kotetsu_ who was able to read each line of his face better than he could, so used as he was to polite - _fake_ - smiles and enthousiast - _bland_ - salutes to please everyone. And maybe, in some way, himself as well.

Long fingers threaded in his hair before a large warm palm landed on his head, staying there, its circular motion barely felt. A faint - nearly _whispered_ - chuckle pressed the hand down a bit harder, so short and yet so misplaced.

"Don't worry about what I just said, Bunny. I'm just an old man," Kotetsu admitted, a crooked smiled twisting his lips in a mockery of his usual cheerful one.

Barnaby didn't react, not moving an inch, eyes fixed to the floor - _which he could barely see, envelopped by the night's darkness seeping through his window. Why weren't the lights on?_ - waiting for -  
>What was he waiting for?<p>

Another quiet – _too quiet_ – chuckle.  
>He frowned.<p>

"Guess I'll let you sleep then, huh? Wouldn't want you to miss your beauty sleep," Kotetsu painstakingly went through the effort to bring their usual banter in the one-sided conversation. He wanted a reaction. He wanted Bunny to be angry, sad, happy to get rid of him- _Whatever he could get_. But _not_ this total lack of response, Barnaby's head bowed and his entire body sagging with fatigue and the unmistakable drooping shoulders _of giving up_.

No, it's not what he wanted but if that was all Bunny was willing to offer, he'd take it.

After all, Kotetsu never really knew how to get what he wanted.

As he uttered those last words, he ruffled blond tresses, genuinely smiling for a second, before retracting his hand. He stopped however when the mop of hair lifted a bit, his attention returning to a pair of green eyes partly hidden behind a blond fringe and dark shadows throwing sharp contrast on pale skin.

"Don't."

The steady gaze wavered a bit as Barnaby forced words to form on his suddenly very heavy tongue.

"If... If that's what you want," he paused, straightening to his full height, the dark hand still tangled in his hair.

"Don't go."

And suddenly, Kotetsu understood. Relief washed over him, the ever-present weight of dread trickling away.

_Everything was okay. __**They**__ were okay. And that was enough for now._

Next thing he knew, Barnaby's hair was a mess, his hand was on the back of his head weaved amidst the disarray of locks, a fond smile filling hazel eyes with affection as he soothingly whisper-sighed, "Let's get you to bed, Bunny."


	8. Chapter 8

Kotetsu absentmindedly guided them down the hall, his hand having fallen to the base of Barnaby's neck, unconsciously twiddling blond curls with his fingers. It annoyed the young man. The contact kept them close, close enough that he too could touch the other but not close enough to feel the heat radiating off him. Not one light was on, darkness pervading his vision - _and the old man's, which reminded him of how familiar he now was with the place_ - as he let the other guide him. The floor chilled his bare feet - _Kotetsu still had his shoes on_ - marking each step with a silent 'thump' in the frozen night. The constant warmth against his neck kept him from considering illusions and dreams warping reality to make him believe in the other's presence, so late at night that it was early morning-

_click_

Light flooded his vision, momentarily blinding him, forgetting the cold of the air and the warmth of that strong hand. He heard a pained groan reflecting his own and he glanced to his right.

"Ugh..."

Rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, Kotetsu muttered a few curses about 'neon lights' and 'dark place' and 'broody Bunnies'. Said Bunny chose to ignore the last statement.

"Next time old man, _think_ before you do something."  
>"Yeah, well, it's not like I really had a choice. I don't know the place well enough to navigate <em>in total darkness<em>," Kotetsu grumbled, still shielding his eyes a bit. He had good night vision and sudden light tended to hurt way more than it should.

Barnaby weakly snorted.  
>"You know the way to my bedroom well enough, though."<p>

When silence met his reply, Barnaby looked over at his uninvited guest, suddenly realizing _how_ it could be interpreted. He felt heat rise on his neck, the hand still resting there not helping one bit. However, embarrassment was rapidly replaced by anxiety, recalling why tonight hadn't gone like it had for the last five months. The anger, sorrow, indignation all came back and settled in his tensing shoulders.

Fingers brushed along his shoulder and upper-arm as Kotetsu retreated, seemingly ignoring the conversation had ever taken place. He didn't want Bunny to see him smiling like a goof. The blond had spontaneously stepped back into their old habits quicker than expected, which pleasantly surprised him. Kotetsu knew the domesticity caused by their bedsharing could destabilize Bunny quite a bit, not aware of _how much influence_ nights spent with another had on one's life until it suddenly stopped.

As usual - _just like yesterday_ - Kotetsu grabbed his pyjamas off the chair and went to change. Passing the bed, he stopped to pick up Barnaby's book. Strangely enough, he knew his partner hadn't touched it tonight, hadn't even considered it. Putting it back, he continued to the bathroom. He thought of taking a shower but dismissed the idea.

Barnaby watched the scene unfold, the one of Kotetsu moving easily through his before-bed routine, one he had seen way too many times and could probably recite by heart.

_Kotetsu grabbed his pyjamas off the chair and went to change._

Barnaby heard the tap opening-

_-followed by the sound of brushing teeth, spitting and water flowing once more._

A few splashes later, Kotetsu appeared in the doorway-

_-hair wet from his fresh shower, drops of water running down his cheeks and neck-_

-his front bangs dripping from washing his face.

It annoyed Barnaby to be able to spot the differences and yet, it reassured him, but not understanding why, it doubled his frustration. Adverting his eyes, he got on the left side of the bed, sliding underneath the covers without a word, facing away.

_Ah, he's mad,_ Kotetsu thought as he joined his bedmate, turning the lights off. Tension invaded the air, keeping them on each of their side of the bed. Kotetsu stayed on his back before rolling on his side as well, mirroring Barnaby's position.

Time ticked by and the older male couldn't sleep. He fidgeted from the awkward atmosphere, tension choking him and uneasiness keeping him awake. He was glad however to hear Barnaby's calm breathing. He had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, the sound soothing Kotetsu's nerves a bit.

So when a hitch disrupted the deep breaths, he noticed immediately. Already on his back, his head whipped to his left to see Barnaby's trembling form in the darkness, highlighted by the moon's soft glow. Concern and memories twisted his stomach. Kotetsu knew of Barnaby's nightmares in the oxygen cell. He even had one when they started sleeping together. Whimpering and groaning had woken him up, instantly noticing the total absence of contact between them. Barnaby had his back presented to him, quaking just as hard as now. He did just as he had then. He slid to the blond, mindful not to shake the mattress too much, extending a hand to lightly rub between tense shoulderblades. He approached a bit more, moving from light rubs to firm, soothing circles running up and down his spine.

Barnaby's shivering subsided a bit, whimpers gone but sporadic harsh exhales replaced them. Kotetsu stopped his movements. The blond calmed down a bit, rolling on his back, eyebrows furrowed.

Slowly, Kotetsu smoothed out his right brow with his thumb, fingertips brushing against blond curls. He did the same on the left before kneading a muscled, uncovered shoulder. Just like last time, Barnaby turned on his side to face Kotetsu, unconsciously seeking contact. The older male indulgently smiled at his partner and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, collecting him against his chest.

As he stroked blond hair, Kotetsu noticed the trembling had entirely stopped, deep breaths once again coming in and out of Barnaby's mouth to breeze against his skin. Ducking his head enough to smell shampoo and feel curls on his face, he fell asleep.

Until now, he had never thought possible the need to feel irritating strands of hair tickling his skin.


	9. Chapter 9

When Barnaby woke up, he was alone. Even in his sleep-muddled mind, that wasn't _right_. Sitting up, he scanned in confusion his empty bedroom, expecting to see Kotetsu.

_What?_  
>Shock kicked his brain into gear.<p>

The events of last night rushed to memory, Kotetsu on his doorstep, breaking the walls around his heart, his hand ruffling his hair, on his neck, _him sleeping beside him-_

So where was he? Had it all been as he feared, nothing but a-_a dream_, a mere manifestation of his hidden desires? Was he even able to imagine such things-?

Still sitting up, one knee raised while the other stayed down, both hands pressed to the mattress to support him, he dropped his head. He didn't notice the superfluous covers and pillows littering the floor, the suddenly pyjama-free chair in the corner, so wrapped as he was in never-ending circles of confusion.

The ghost sensations of arms wrapped around him, the phantom heartbeat pounding against his own, the familiar scent permeating his pillow, sheets and covers now filling his senses, the feverish feeling of a hand caressing his hair, of skin touching his, heat seeping through clothes to melt away his fears-  
>They weren't figments of his imagination. There was no way he could have fantasized this emotion screaming <em>home<em> that coursed through his limbs, mind and core.

Suddenly relieved by the knowledge that he wasn't _going mad_, the slowly growing warmth envelopping him was smothered by the weight of deception, resulting in irremediable sadness, dropping in his stomach.

The idiot hadn't stayed. Barnaby scowled, anger battling his heavy heart into submission, the latter quickly gaining dominance again as his next thought finished to anihilate hope.

_He didn't understand._

Barnaby had assumed that Kotetsu had understood what he had meant, had _understood him_. Apparently he hadn't. Otherwise, he would have been on his right, waking him up by complaining about his hair, _again-_

"Oh, you're up already?" Laughter boomed into the silence, "You're such a sleepyhead that I usually have to wake you up."

Bunny snapped his head up, afraid to see nothing in the doorway-

And there he was, wearing his white top and grey bottoms, adorning the worst bed-hair ever, honey-brown eyes sparkling, a fond and contented smile lighting up his unshaven face. Barnaby was dumbfounded, relief and glee exploding in his gut, chasing all worries and doubts from his mind.

_Everything was alright. __**They**__ were alright. And that was all that mattered._

A small, blissful smile slowly made its way to his lips, up to his green eyes as he uttered his first words on the sunrise of their new start - _he wasn't alone anymore and never would have to be again because __**he**__ was there, by his side_ -

"Good morning, Kotetsu."


End file.
